Operations
Defense Policy / Programs
Defense Industry
Other Conflicts
News Reports

Current Operations

• Officials Provide Details of Latest Strikes Against ISIS AFPS 02 Jul 2017 -- U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, conducting 22 strikes consisting of 66 engagements, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today.
• Two killed in southern Yemen in new US drone strike Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- An American drone has struck Yemen's southern province of Abyan, killing two suspected al-Qaeda militants.
• Taliban kill 13 in Afghanistan's Balkh Province Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- Taliban militants in Afghanistan have killed more than a dozen people in Afghanistan's northern Balkh Province.

Defense Policy / Programs

• Pentagon: More Time Needed to Determine Whether Transgender Soldiers Can Serve Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- US Defense Secretary James Mattis announced in a Friday memo that military officials would be given an additional six months to determine whether the inclusion of transgender people in the armed forces would limit its "readiness or lethality."
• Russian Admiral Reveals Russian Navy's Main Mission in World Ocean Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- About 100 Russian ships are currently on a mission in different parts of the "world ocean," Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Korolev said.
• Vucic: Russian Weapons to Significantly Boost Serbian Defense Capability Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- Aleksandar Vucic said that Serbia needs deliveries of Russian weapons in order to significantly boost its defense capability.
• China Gives Millions of Dollars in Weapons to the Philippines to Fight Daesh Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- The Philippines are getting millions in weaponry from China in a move to fight Daesh. Philippines Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that Beijing has donated $ 7.35 million in weapons and ammunition to fight the terrorists.
• China's aircraft carrier battle group leaves Taiwan's ADIZ CNA 02 Jul 2017 -- China's naval formation headed by the Liaoning aircraft carrier that entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) at about 4:00 p.m. Saturday, has left the zone after sailing southwest along the Taiwan Strait, the Ministry of National Defense said Sunday.
• China's aircraft carrier battle group enters Taiwan's ADIZ CNA 02 Jul 2017 -- The Ministry of National Defense said Sunday that China's naval formation headed by the Liaoning aircraft carrier entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) a day earlier and was sailing southwest along the Taiwan Strait.
• Aircraft carrier fleet heads to HK for anniversary People's Daily 02 Jul 2017 -- China's aircraft carrier fleet will sail to Hong Kong early July to participate in the upcoming 20th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, the PLA Navy said on Sunday.
• UK Defense Ministry to Spend $4.8 Bln on Construction of 3 Type 26 Frigates Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- The UK Ministry of Defense will spend 3.7 billion pounds ($4.8 billion) on the first stage of construction of three Royal Navy's Type 26 frigates, the ministry said in a statement issued on Sunday.
• Multi-billion pound defence deal secures thousands of UK jobs UK MOD 02 Jul 2017 -- The Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon has announced the signing of a contract worth around £3.7 billion to start building the Royal Navy's Type 26 Frigates.
• Iran Army launches military drill in Caspian Sea IRNA 02 Jul 2017 -- Iranian Army started military exercise dubbed 'Security and Power' in the Caspian Sea, the commander of Iran's First Naval Zone Ahmadreza Baqeri said.
• Majlis supporting Iran missile program: Senior MP IRNA 02 Jul 2017 -- Supporting Iran's missile program is one of the main aspects of the urgent plan expected to be reviewed in Iran's Parliament (Majlis ) to counter the US Senate hostile measures against the Islamic Republic , a senior lawmaker said on Sunday.
• Iran to give harshest response to enemy threats: defense minister ISNA 02 Jul 2017 -- Iranian defense minister brigadier general Hossein Dehqan has hailed the country's defensive and missile achievements, saying the Islamic Republic will give the "harshest response" to enemy threats.
• Iran Allocates $300 Million to Strengthen Its Missile Potential Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- The Iranian authorities have allocated about $300 million to develop the country's missile program to counter "threats from enemies," Mehr agency reported, citing the chairman of the Committee on National Security and Foreign Policy, Alaeddin Boroujerdi.
• Pakistani army starts fencing border with Afghanistan Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- Pakistan's military has begun erecting fencing along the country's porous border with Afghanistan in order to stop cross-border infiltration and improve security in the region.
• US Senators Visit Pakistan, Discuss Afghan Peace, Counterterrorism VOA 02 Jul 2017 -- A group of key American lawmakers led by Senator John McCain visited Pakistan Sunday where they met top government and military officials to discuss bilateral ties, counterterrorism cooperation, and efforts to promote peace and security in Afghanistan.
• Macron Affirms French Support for West African Counter-Terrorism Force VOA 02 Jul 2017 -- West Africa and France must work together to eradicate terrorism, French President Emmanuel Macron said Sunday, opening a summit in Bamako, Mali on forming a regional anti-jihadist force.
• Philippine, US Navies Patrol Together Despite Duterte's Hostility to Washington Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- As violent extremist militias in the southern areas of the Philippines step up attacks, joint patrols by US and Philippine navies have been initiated, in spite of anti-America posturing by the country's President Rodrigo Duterte.

Defense Industry

Other Conflicts

• US Navy warship sails near Chinese island Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- A US Navy warship has sailed close to a Chinese claimed island in the South China Sea, Pentagon officials say, marking the second such operation under Donald Trump's presidency.
• US Vows to Continue S China Sea Patrols After Beijing's Warning Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- A representative of the US Department of State told Sputnik on Sunday that the US actions in the South China Sea are corresponding with the international law and Washington will continue to sail and operate "wherever international law allows."
• Chinese Fighter Jets, Ships Warn Off USS Stethem Sailing Near S China Sea Island Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- The Chinese Foreign Ministry voiced protest over US aircraft carrier Stethem sailing close to disputed islands in the South China Sea.
• US-backed SDF enters new area in northern Syria Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- The so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have entered a new area in the city of Raqqah, the last stronghold of the Daesh Takfiri terrorists in Syria, retaking territory on the southern bank of the Euphrates River.
• Multiple blasts, mortar rounds hit Damascus Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- A car bomb and two booby-trap explosions have hit Syria's capital Damascus, killing at least 20 people and injuring a number of others.
• At Least 20 Killed In Three Car-Bomb Attacks In Damascus RFE/RL 02 Jul 2017 -- The Syrian Foreign Ministry said at least 20 people were killed and dozens more wounded in a rare suicide car bombing in the capital.
• Turkish Troops, Syrian Rebels Allegedly Mulling New Op in Syria Against Kurds Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- Around 20,000 members of opposition Free Syrian Army (FSA) and Turkish troops will participate in a new military operation in the northwestern Syrian Afrin region, which is under control of the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), Turkish Sabah newspaper reported on Sunday.
• Syrian Kurds Vow to Stop Turkish Troops' Advance on Afrin Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- Nuri Mehmud, an official representative of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), said in an interview with Sputnik Turkey that the group will defend its territories if there is an attack on Afrin from Turkey.
• Bomb attack kills 14 in refugee camp in Iraq's Anbar province Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- At least 14 people have lost their lives after a suspected Daesh terrorist detonated his explosive vest in a refugee camp in Iraq's western province of Anbar, officials say.
• Iraqi forces gain more ground as battle for Mosul nears endgame Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- Iraqi government forces have recaptured more areas in the heart of Mosul's Old City as they are entering the final stages of a months-long military offensive to retake the country's second largest city from the Daesh Takfiri terrorists.
• Iraqi spokesman: US had no role in Mosul victories Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- An Iraqi military spokesman says the US had no role in the Arab country's recapture of Mosul despite Western reports characterizing American troops as leading the operation to retake the city from Daesh.
• Iraqi Forces Kill 79 Daesh Militants in Mosul Over Past 24 Hours Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- Iraqi servicemen killed at least 79 militants of the Daesh terror group as part of the operation aimed at liberation of the western part of Mosul during the past 24 hours, Lt. Gen. Raid Shakir Jaudat of the Iraqi Federal Police said Sunday.
• Israeli forces targets Syrian artillery position Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- Israel has attacked Syrian military positions for the sixth time in over 10 days in response to alleged errant mortar fire from Syria's Golan Heights.

News Reports

• Xi draws "red line" for handling mainland-HK relations People's Daily 02 Jul 2017 -- President Xi Jinping Saturday drew the "red line" for handling relations between the mainland and Hong Kong, warning against attempts to undermine national sovereignty or challenge the central government's power.
• China Launches Long March-5 Heavy-Lift Carrier Rocket With Shijan-18 Satellite Sputnik 02 Jul 2017 -- China has launched its Long March-5 heavy-lift carrier rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in the southern island province of Hainan, a Sputnik correspondent reported.
• China to launch 2nd heavy-lift carrier rocket People's Daily 02 Jul 2017 -- China is scheduled to launch the Long March-5 Y2, the country's second heavy-lift carrier rocket, from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China's Hainan Province Sunday, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence said Saturday.
• Egyptian Court Upholds Death Sentence for 20 in 2013 Police Station Attack VOA 02 Jul 2017 -- An Egyptian court has upheld death sentences against 20 people in the brutal 2013 attack on a police station in the Giza suburb of Kardasa. The attack, which came during a frenzy of violence following the ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi, killed close to a dozen police officers and cited in the government's case for the use of force to quell a budding popular insurrection.
• Cairo court gives death penalty to 20 men over Kerdasa massacre Press TV 02 Jul 2017 -- An Egyptian court has upheld the death penalty for 20 people over their alleged roles in killing of 13 policemen in the violence that followed the military's ousting of former president Mohamed Morsi in 2013, while sentencing many others to hefty jail terms.